


Life And Love After London

by orphan_account



Category: Diving RPF, Olympics RPF, Swimming RPF
Genre: Childbirth, Infidelity, Kids, M/M, Moving On, Mpreg, One Night Stands, Post-Break Up
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-07-02
Updated: 2014-07-01
Packaged: 2018-02-07 02:26:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 1,777
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1881606
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Megan walks out on Michael for good he makes a solemn vow to find his true love no matter how long it takes. He soon finds out that finding true love won't take long at all when his mother asks him to come to the aid of a fellow Olympian.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

* * *

Megan walks out on him on a cold day in January, snow falling into her hair as the cabbie helps her load her bags into the trunk of a big yellow taxi. Michael watches as the taxi drives away, more relieved than hurt. He always knew that Megan wasn't _T _he_ One,_ but he didn't like the idea of being alone.

Even as a child he hated having to do things on his own. It's true that when you're thirteen and the constant butt of some other kid's joke there is safety in numbers. Michael just can't believe he actually let such an immature idea cripple his adult life. When the taxi finally turns the corner and is no longer in sight Michael makes a decision. Right then and there he promises himself that he will find that one person who completes him and when he does he'll hold them close and never let them go.

He also decides to let go of his past and truly move on. That night he packs up all twenty-two of his Olympic medals into an old lunchbox he's had since elementary school. It has Mickey Mouse painted on the front and Michael pauses for a moment, remembering the day when the matching hat and thermos met their demise at the hands of one of his many bullies, both items getting thrown out the window of a moving school bus. Michael had cried the whole way home while all the other kids called him names.

Sissy.

Crybaby.

Mama's Boy.

And those weren't all of them; those were only the ones without any curse words in them. Michael almost laughs thinking about how those same bullies now come up to him in bars and ask for autographs and pictures.

“But that’s not your life anymore,” Michael tells himself. He doesn’t know exactly what his new life is yet, but he knows something is coming.

Something big.

Something special.

Something that will change everything.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Megan walks out on Michael for good he makes a solemn vow to find his true love no matter how long it takes. He soon finds out that finding true love won't take long at all when his mother asks him to come to the aid of a fellow Olympian.

* * *

The call comes in at three in the morning, Michael's iPhone buzzing to life on the nightstand.

“Mama?” Michael says into the phone when he presses the green **ACCEPT** button on the touch screen and puts it up to his ear.

“Someone needs your help, Michael,” Debbie Phelps says, her voice traveling from one end of the call to the other sounding horribly stressed, as if she’s panicking but trying not to show it.

“What can I do?” Michael asks without a moment of hesitation, now fully awake. If he knows his mother the way he thinks he does, then there is no time to ask for an explanation.

“I need you to go to BWI and pick someone up.” Debbie says. “His plane lands in about an hour and the I-195 is backed up so you better hurry. You need to go to Gate 5C; that’s the number five and the letter C.”

“Who is this guy?” Michael asks. He’s out of bed, iPhone pressed between his ear and shoulder as he stumbles around in the darkness of his bedroom trying to pull on a pair of sweatpants and step into his shoes.

“You’ll know who it is when you see him.” Debbie replies. “Now go, Michael. Quick as you can, hon. And call me once the two of you are back at your place.”

“M’kay, Mama, I will” Michael answers back. He presses the red **END** button and tucks his phone into his pocket. He picks up a shirt from his bedroom floor that looks slightly less wrinkled than the others. Michael holds it up to his nose, smells it, and deems it clean enough to wear. He pulls it over his head, grabs his wallet and keys off the nightstand, hurries downstairs to his garage. He hops in his black Range Rover and speeds off into the Baltimore night wondering just what has his mother so very worried.

Michael makes it to the airport in record time, finds his way to the correct gate and waits by the baggage claim. The electronic ticker over the gate entrance specifies that the flight has come in from Heathrow. Michael keeps a close watch on the line of people filtering through the gate toward the baggage claim wondering why someone from London would need his help. He’s also hoping that he’ll be able to recognize just who his mother has sent him for. After about half an hour Michael’s ready to give up and go home. But then he sees him.

Michael’s eyes go wide at the sight of a very pregnant, very nervous looking Tom Daley waddling over to the baggage claim. To say that Michael is dumbfounded is possibly the most understated fact in all of the universe.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Megan walks out on Michael for good he makes a solemn vow to find his true love no matter how long it takes. He soon finds out that finding true love won't take long at all when his mother asks him to come to the aid of a fellow Olympian.

* * *

“They tried to make me kill it,” Tom says suddenly.

He and Michael have been driving down the I-195 for about ten minutes, Tom's five suitcases piled in the back of the Range Rover. Michael figured that the younger Olympian had packed everything he valued, knowing that the place that was once his home was now a place he would never be welcome again. Michael reaches over and turns down the volume on the radio, intent on listening.

“I was about eight weeks during the Games,” Tom continues. “Someone figured it out when the results of my anti-doping test came out weird. I told my family and my coaches after the Games. They all told me to terminate the pregnancy; they said it would ruin my chances for Rio. I said no and my Mum kicked me out. I bummed around for a bit, had a few mates willing to let me crash on their couches but when I started showing I knew I needed a better solution. I remembered meeting your Mum and your sisters during the Games. They were so nice. I guess I thought if there was ever a safe place for an Olympian it would be with the family of the greatest Olympian of them all.”

Michael makes an affirmative noise in the back of his throat, letting Tom know he’s listening. He glances over from time to time, watches how the diver instinctively places one of his hands on the very top of his prominent baby bump.

“How far along are you now?” Michael manages to ask.

“Thirty-two weeks.” Tom says, nods as he adds. “It won’t be long now. No, not long at all; just about seven weeks. It’s a girl. I’m thinking of naming her Kai. It’s the Hawaiian word for ocean. I’ve always loved the ocean.”

“What about the father?” Michael asks.

“He’s long gone now” Tom sighs, stares out the window and says. “Makes me feel quite foolish, honestly. I should have known better.”

“I’m sorry that happened,” Michael says. “I know what it’s like to have someone walk out on you.”

“Do you believe in God?” Tom asks.

Michael answers, “My family’s not particularly religious, but yeah.... I guess I believe in a higher power. Why else would we be here if not for the will of something greater than us?”

Tom nods, murmurs, “I didn’t believe in God. Not when I watched my little brother being born. Not when my Dad died. Not even when I found out I was pregnant. Then she kicked for the first time. It was just a little kick, barely there at all, but I felt it and I knew. In that moment I knew God was real and I knew exactly what he wanted from me. He wanted me to raise this child and that’s what I’m going to do.”

“You’re not scared?” Michael asks.

“I’m terrified,” Tom chuckles. “But being brave isn’t about not being afraid; it’s about being afraid but not letting that fear rule your life. It’s kind of like diving. Standing on the platform isn’t what makes you a champion; it’s diving in that does. And if you’re going to dive you can’t be afraid to hit the water, cause that’s the only way down.”

“That’s pretty deep,” Michael comments, finally reaching the correct exit on the freeway and taking the turn off.

“It’s the hormones; they make you think all philosophically and stuff” Tom smiles jokingly. “I could pretty much bring about World Peace right now for a Mars bar and a Pepsi.”

“Well, I don’t think Maryland has Mars bars, but I can get you that Pepsi if you still want it.” Michael smiles.

“That would be great,” Tom says, smiling back. Michael sets his mind to finding the nearest 24 Hour convenience store and Tom turns up the radio, singing along.

Michael can’t help but feel like destiny is tapping him on the shoulder, telling him it’s his turn to step up to the plate. He makes a silent promise to do whatever it takes to win the game.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Megan walks out on Michael for good he makes a solemn vow to find his true love no matter how long it takes. He soon finds out that finding true love won't take long at all when his mother asks him to come to the aid of a fellow Olympian.

* * *

It’s pushing five in the morning by the time Michael makes it home with Tom and his many suitcases in tow.

He lets Tom sleep in his bed because the bed in the guest room has become more of a second closet for all of the swag Michael gets from his sponsors: packages of Under Armor boxer briefs, a handful of swim caps and a few pairs of goggles from Speedo, a new watch from Omega, and a bunch of other bric-a-brac like pens and memo pads and keychains.

Once he gets Tom settled in for the night and lets the dogs out to do their business Michael calls his mother.

“Is he with you?” Debbie Phelps asks the moment she answers the call. “Is he safe?”

“Yes and yes.” Michael assures her. “He’s asleep. I put him in my bed and I’m gonna take the couch until I get a chance to clean up the guest room.”

“Michael Fred, I told you to do that three weeks ago,” Debbie scolds. “What were you doing that was so important that you could forget to clean your own house.”

“Oh, I don’t know, Mama. Maybe the fact that Michael Jordan asked me play golf with him that day?” Michael scoffs.

“Watch your tone, young man,” his mother replies in that _I Brought You Into This World And I’ll Take You Out Of It_ voice every mother has.

“I’m sorry, Mama,” Michael sighs. “I’m just tired.”

Debbie says, “It’s okay, hon. Just get some sleep. I’ll be by tomorrow to see how things are.”

“Mama, it’s already tomorrow,” Michael says.

“Well, I guess that means I’m already on my way then, doesn’t it?” Debbie quips. “Now go lay down before you fall down.”

“Will do, Ma” Michael yawns, rubs at his eyes with his free hand. “Will do.”


End file.
